2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cherf
An anglicized variant of French surname Charpentier referring to a carpenter or woodworker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Cherf. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cherf surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Cherf in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cherf, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cherf
The surname CHERF is believed to have originated in the Normandy region of France during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "cherif," which means "leader" or "chief." This word has its roots in the Arabic word "sharif," meaning a descendant of the prophet Muhammad.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CHERF can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Cherfe," likely referring to a Norman nobleman who had been granted land in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
In the 12th century, a prominent family bearing the surname CHERF resided in the village of Cherfreville, located in the Normandy region of France. This village likely took its name from the CHERF family, who may have been the local lords or landowners.
One notable figure with the surname CHERF was Sir Robert CHERF (1245-1312), a knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He was awarded lands in Scotland for his service and is mentioned in several historical records from that period.
Another individual of note was Jean CHERF (1520-1585), a French merchant and explorer who was among the first Europeans to establish trade routes with the West Indies. He is credited with the introduction of sugarcane cultivation to the Caribbean islands.
In the 17th century, a branch of the CHERF family emigrated to the American colonies, with one of the earliest recorded instances being John CHERF (1635-1701), who settled in Virginia and became a successful tobacco planter.
During the French Revolution, a prominent figure named Pierre CHERF (1760-1832) played a role as a member of the revolutionary government. He was a vocal advocate for the rights of the common people and served as a deputy in the National Convention.
Throughout its history, the surname CHERF has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, merchants, military personnel, and government officials. While the name may have evolved in spelling over time, its connection to leadership and authority has remained a consistent theme in its etymology.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cherf
Among Census respondents with the surname Cherf, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Cherf bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cherf surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cherf
Cherf appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,212 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,354 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,212 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 2,354 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cherf surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #144,141 | #146,495 | -1.6% |
| Count | 115 | 114 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cherf bearers went from 115 to 114 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 2,354 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #146,495.
FAQ
Cherf surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cherf?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Cherf. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Cherf?
Cherf ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Cherf. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cherf.
Has Cherf become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cherf went from 115 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Cherf?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cherf, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cherf in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cherf appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (1.8%), Two or More Races (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cherf (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cherf mean?
An anglicized variant of French surname Charpentier referring to a carpenter or woodworker. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cherf (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Cherf?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.